Largest member of the Weasel (Mustelid) family, the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) can grow to a length of 180 cm (including the tail) and can weigh up to 34 kgs.
They have a dark brown, water repellent fur with white patches on the chest, neck and throat that are unique to each individual. Their short legs with webbed feet and a long powerful tail help propel them through the water.
Those large eyes and long whiskers aid in detecting prey in the water.
The Giant otters are distributed across the north-central South America where they live mostly in and along the Amazon River and in the Pantanal.
Unlike other Mustelids, Giant Otters are highly social beings, living in family groups of between five and eight individuals, sometimes going up to a 20. The groups are centered on a dominant breeding pair and are extremely cohesive and cooperative.
These family groups consist of a male and female, which mate for life and offspring from previous years. The female has up to five cubs in an underground burrow which stay with their parents until the birth of the next litter or even longer, usually leaving the parents when they are sexually mature at around two years.
These Otters are diurnal (active during the day) and rest in their burrows at night. Feeding is variable depending on seasonal migrations of food supply. They are predominanlty piscivores (prefer to eat fish), but when fish supplies are low they will also hunt crustaceans, small snakes and small caiman.
Giant Otter is also considered the noisiest of all otter species and have distinct vocalizations that indicate alarm, aggression, and reassurance.
These gregarious creatures are hard to miss in the Pantanal. You will invariably come across groups of these Giant Otters mostly swimming around in the river, playing or fishing and occasionally lazying around on the river banks, perhaps after a hearty meal, just getting some sun.
While these otters are out and about, swimming around, there is a high chance that you will get to see them catch a fish and devour it. These otters are master hunters. They keep moving around in small groups amidst the thick Pantanal vegetation, flushing out fish that try to stay hidden.
Always watchful and aware…
Once the fish is flushed out from its hideout, it is a matter of chance as to which of the otters gets the prize. The one who is lucky grabs the tasty meal with both hands, forelimbs in this case and begins enjoying the treat.
Holding the fish with both their forelimbs, the otter uses its powerful jaws and teeth to carve the fish open to feed.
Tremendous power in them, the sound of crunching bone can be so evidently heard when you observe them feeding!
From a rocking boat, low and close to the water’s surface, it was sheer adrenaline rush watching these magnificent mammals of the Pantanal in action.
Estimates of how many Giant Otters remain in the wild vary between 1,000 and 5,000. Giant Otters suffer many threats albeit being protected throughout their areas of distribution. They have very few predators although cubs may be eaten by caimans and jaguars.
Humans are the largest threat and hunt Giant Otters illegally for their fur and meat or capture them alive for the pet trade. Habitat destruction followed by humans moving into their habitat is believed to have the potential to reduce Giant Otter population by 50 per cent over the next 20 years.
Every effort made towards saving this amazing species is highly imperative. Really hope that their population grows and thrives in the years to come.
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Sathyanarayanan KD
Santhosh